Typically, vehicles house a plurality of electronic components which must be properly wired. For example, instrument panels typically include instrument cluster gages, air-conditioning controls, radios, navigation systems, lighters, airbags, reading lights, and other similar devices. Generally, these electronic components each include their own housing, which is typically a large metal or plastic box. These boxes or housings provide structural support to the electrical devices and modular mounting within the vehicle. Further, the boxes may also include the provision of a human machine interface (HMI) such as the control for the radio or the like.
All of these electronic devices must be provided with power and signal lines which is typically accomplished by a wire harness positioned within the vehicle, typically packaged within the instrument panel. Usually, a wire harness is made with a plurality of pigtails having an electrical connector disposed at one end for connection to an electrical device such as one referenced above. Unfortunately, as the electronic devices increase in the instrument panel, so does the complexity of the wire harness. The complexity of the wire harness, as well as the large size and weight of the boxes housing the components, lead to larger assembly cost, weight and difficulty in packaging.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/292,553, commonly owned by the assignee and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a unique solution to these problems using flatwire to electronically integrate the wiring and components into the vehicle support structure. Nonetheless, unique packaging issues remain in finding available area for mounting the electronics and providing adequate cooling of the components.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an electrical interconnection solution for the electronic devices of a vehicle that is easy to assemble and minimizes the size and weight of the whole system, while still providing adequate space, mechanical support, and thermal cooling of the electronic devices.